The Thomas Way
The Thomas Way is the twelfth episode of the seventeenth season and the four hundredth episode of the series. In this episode, Thomas and Duck must work together to help Harold when he breaks down. Plot One morning, Harold was rescuing some climbers from the cliffs near Callan Castle. Once he's completed his rescue mission, he goes to take off again, but finds he can't. His blades are jammed and he can't take off. Duck was called to Callan Castle where the Fat Controller instructs him to take Harold to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre for repairs. Harold was concerned that he'll be too tall and wide to travel via rail, but the Fat Controller explains that Thomas will be Duck's back engine and keep an eye out. As they travel along, Thomas gets an idea; perhaps Harold would like to see some of the island's sights from an engine's perspective. Harold was keen on the idea, but Duck isn't. Duck was sure that there's only one way to do things - the Great Western way which is to take the most direct and prompt way to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Thomas becomes annoyed with Duck and decides to play a trick on him. Thomas tells Duck that they need to visit Knapford station to collect the engineer to fix Harold. This isn't true and is just a way for Thomas to show off busy Knapford station to Harold. Duck falls for Thomas' trick and they set off towards Knapford. When they arrive at Knapford station, Harold was amazed by what he sees, but as they're about to enter the station, Thomas and Duck have to brake sharply. Harold was too tall to fit under the station's roof, but luckily they grind to a stop just in time. Gordon then thunders up with the express but has to stop as Harold was very wide and blocking his line. The Fat Controller was most surprised to see Thomas, Duck and Harold at the station. Duck explains that they have come to pick up the engineer, but the Fat Controller tells him that the engineer was waiting at the rescue centre. Duck realises that he had been tricked and they set off again. Duck was cross with Thomas as they puff through the countryside. Duck was determined to stick to the Great Western way from now on. As they approach a tunnel, Thomas calls out to warn Duck that the tunnel isn't wide enough. Duck thinks it's another trick and ignores Thomas. They thunder into the tunnel and Harold's blades scrape along the side of the tunnel until they get wedged. Soon, some engineers arrive to try and free Harold. The Fat Controller also arrives in Winston. He was very cross with Thomas and Duck for causing Harold more damage. Harold was soon freed and the Fat Controller orders Thomas and Duck to go to the Search and Rescue Centre straight away. Outside the tunnel, Duck apologises to Thomas for not listening to him and Thomas also apologises for tricking Duck in the first place. Duck was concerned about how they'll get to the Search and Rescue Centre without encountering anymore tunnels. Thomas knows a route they can take - the Thomas way. Thomas goes to the front of the train and takes his own route to the rescue centre. The route isn't as direct or as prompt, but it avoids all of the tunnels. Finally, Thomas and Duck pull into the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre with Harold where the engineer was waiting. Later on, when Thomas and Duck stop at a signal, Duck admits that there might be three ways of doing things; the Great Western way, the wrong way and the Thomas way. But Duck can't help but point out that the Great Western way is usually the best way and the pair laugh. Characters *Thomas *Gordon *Duck *Harold *Sir Topham Hatt *The Engineer (does not speak) *Henry (cameo) *James (cameo) *Rosie (cameo) *Stafford (cameo) *Winston (cameo) *Rocky (cameo) *The Bird Watcher (cameo) Locations *Callan Castle *Knapford *Sodor Search and Rescue Centre *Paddington *Coastal Cliffs *The Coal Hopper *Animal Park (mentioned) *Sodor Suspension Bridge (mentioned) Notes *This episode marks the first time that Duck has been referred to as Montague since his introduction in the second season episode Duck Takes Charge. *A photograph seen in this episode depicts Duck at Paddington station on the Great Western Railway. The image features Duck's television series model from the sixth season episode, Twin Trouble. This is therefore the first full-CGI episode to feature footage from the model era. *This marks the first time since the fourth season episode Fish that Duck has been the main character in an episode. *This is the 400th episode of the series. *This episode has some similar plot points to Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out, also written by Paul Larson. *In German, it was called "The Thomas-Method". The Japanese title was called "Let's Go With Thomas Way". *Going by production order, this is the nineteenth episode of the seventeenth season. *The flatbed Harold travels on was partially designed by SiF user Sean O'Connor. *This episode marks Harold's last speaking role to date. Errors *The signalman should've chosen the line that Thomas and Duck were on. *Duck's wheels clip into his running board throughout the entire episode. *Harold's rotors should've been fully folded for the journey. *In the photo of Duck on the Great Western Railway, he has his number 8 decal, which he was given upon his arrival on Sodor. *When Thomas and Duck approach Knapford station, the bird watcher was standing on platform two. When the Fat Controller walks up a few shots later, he was on platform one. He also changes position in the close-up of the Fat Controller. *When Thomas, Harold and Duck are going along the coastal track, Harold's tail rotor was spinning. *In one shot as Thomas, Harold and Duck enter the tunnel, Duck's steam was floating right onto Harold's face, while in the rest of the episode it was floating above him. *Brakevans should've been added to Rosie and Stafford's trains. *When Thomas tricks Duck to go to Knapford he doesn't seem to be coupled up to the flatbed. *There's no need for Duck to be turned around. *It would've been dangerous for Rocky to turn Duck around while the latter was still in steam. *At the end of the episode, Thomas and Duck both clearly start rolling forward before the signals drop. *When Thomas, Harold, and Duck enter the tunnel, their lamps turn on automatically. 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